The following letter was hand delivered to Chancellor Mark Nordenberg
on Oct. 18, 2010.

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg:

Once again, I am bringing to your attention the very serious issue of
the University of Pittsburgh’s 2010 fireworks display, which is
scheduled to take place from Mazeroski Field.

The first firework explosion from last year’s display awakened
my 90+ year-old parents from their usual deep sleep and caused me to
jump off of the living room couch, unsure if a bomb had gone off in the
street. The sound of the exploding fireworks for the next 20 minutes
reverberated through my body. If it rattled me, I can only imagine what
my parents, who are of advanced age and have weaker constitutions, must
have felt. It was a harrowing experience, and I hope that my parents
and I never need to suffer through that terror again.

My parents stayed in their bed for 20 minutes, waiting for the fireworks
display to end. The exploding firebombs have very serious potential health
consequences including: the sudden burst of noise from exploding shells
can adversely affect the function of the heart, and the loudness of the
booms can lead to hearing loss.

You are knowingly and willingly ignoring the very serious health risks
to the residents and numerous hospital patients in our neighborhood.
Your own interests are deemed far more important than the health, safety
and well-being of the residents and hospital patients.

In addition, ash from the exploding firebombs has landed on rooftops
and in the yards of neighbors. How could you choose a fireworks display
site that is within 300 feet of residential homes and an adjacent tree-filled
hillside? That hillside and nearby homes can easily catch on fire endangering
the lives of residents. Do you care? Also, those fireworks traumatize
animals in the neighborhood. No cruelty is justifiable.

It is clearly illegal to launch fireworks from Mazeroski Field.

You are avoiding responsibility for this fireworks display by stating
that the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety and the City
of Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire have given their approval of this event
in past years. Although it is true that the city must be held accountable
for allowing this event to occur, you are responsible for initiating
this event and doing nothing to prevent it, despite claims that point
to its potential dangerousness. I am putting you on notice that should
there be a medical emergency concerning my parents as a result of this
event, civil charges will be made against you.

Several weeks ago (and the following event can be verified by Pitt Police
Officer Ron Bennett) a student told a long-time resident; “This
is a campus neighborhood. If you don’t like it, then move.” This
occurred when the resident asked students to keep their volume down during
a drunken party. Your attitude is very similar to the student's. By your
inaction, you are implicitly telling my parents that if they don’t
like the fireworks, then they should leave their home and return when
it is over.

But my parents will not leave their home. They intend to keep their
dignity. My 94-year old father was born and raised in this neighborhood
and lived here his entire life, with the exception of the four years
he spent fighting for our country in the Second World War. My mother
has been here for 68 of her 90 years. They didn’t ask for this
fireworks display to take place in our neighborhood, and they will not
stand by as helpless victims.

Attached is a petition signed by twenty-one long-time residents of Panther
Hollow. You will note that the majority of them are between the ages
of 71 to 94 years. All of us are speaking to you with one voice and one
message – move the fireworks display to another venue outside of
Oakland.